A Photographer's Guide to Asian Wedding Photography Styles

Confused by terms like 'reportage' or 'cinematic'? A professional Asian wedding photographer breaks down the different photography styles to help you find the perfect match for your big day.

A Photographer’s Guide to Asian Wedding Photography Styles

Your wedding photos are so much more than just pictures; they are the one tangible keepsake that will tell your story for generations. When you open your wedding album years from now, it will become an ultimate family heirloom. That’s why getting the right photographer for your wedding is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

A key part of that decision is finding a photography style that truly resonates with you. But when you start your research, you’ll find us photographers often use a lot of jargon that can be confusing. My job is to make your wedding planning journey as easy as possible, so I’ve put together this simple guide to help you navigate the different styles and find the perfect fit for your story.

Traditional (or Posed) Wedding Photography

When you flick through your parents’ wedding album, you’re likely looking at traditional wedding photography. This style is defined by classic, beautifully posed shots of the day’s key moments.

This includes the formal group photos with family, the signing of the register, the ring exchange or Jai Mala, the cake cutting, and the Vidaai or Rukhsati. It also features timeless, formal portraits of the couple. This style relies on the photographer’s direction to guide, pose, and sometimes even manage the flow of events to ensure every crucial shot is captured perfectly.

Best for: Couples who want a timeless, classic record of their day with plenty of formal portraits and structured group shots.

Photojournalistic (or Reportage) Wedding Photography

A popular and ever-growing style, photojournalism (also known as reportage) is all about capturing the unguarded, authentic moments of your day. With this approach, the photographer acts as a discreet observer, telling your story as it naturally unfolds without direction or intervention.

This style requires a great deal of creativity, experience, and some serious skill. A photojournalistic photographer must have mastered the art of anticipating moments, quickly adjusting settings, framing, and shooting as events happen around them. The result is a collection of real, natural, and emotional images.

Expert Tip: This style relies heavily on experience. When considering a photographer who shoots this way, look for a portfolio that shows they can capture key moments beautifully even in challenging, fast-paced environments.

Cinematic Wedding Photography

A newer style that, when done right, can produce absolutely awe-inspiring images. Mainly used for standout couple’s portraits, cinematic photography places a heavy emphasis on dramatic composition, lighting, and background.

The couple is posed, either formally or candidly, within a picturesque setting to create images that feel like stills from a movie. This often blends landscape photography with portraiture and uses advanced post-production techniques to create inspirational and epic wedding photographs. You’ll often see elements of fashion photography woven in as well.

Best for: Couples who want breathtaking, “wow-factor” portraits and love a dramatic, grand, and polished feel.

Natural Light Wedding Photography

As the name suggests, this style uses natural and available light to create images, rather than relying on camera flash or artificial lighting. In the hands of a skilled professional, this technique produces soft, romantic, and beautifully authentic photos.

It’s a perfect choice for daytime events, outdoor weddings, or venues blessed with large windows and plenty of daylight. However, this is a highly technical skill. An experienced natural light photographer knows exactly how to work with challenging conditions, from harsh midday sun to low-light interiors, to create flattering and beautiful images.

Expert Tip: Ask a potential photographer to see a full gallery from a wedding with lighting conditions similar to yours to ensure they can handle any challenges your venue might present.

Fine Art Wedding Photography

Fine art is a style suited for the creative couple who sees beauty in the details. It’s about looking at your wedding day through a more artistic lens. You’ll see creative framing, unconventional compositions, and a focus on mood and emotion over literal documentation.

An image might focus on a hint of your wedding lehenga or an intimate, stolen glance. The emphasis is on “Art.” This style is often best used in conjunction with another, more documentary style, to ensure you get both the creative shots and a complete record of your key moments.

Best for: Artistic couples who appreciate a more interpretive, creative, and non-traditional approach to their wedding photos.

Fashion Wedding Photography

This one is for the style-conscious couple whose main focus is on stunning, editorial-quality portraits. Inspired by the pages of fashion and bridal magazines, this style is intensive and highly directed.

It involves elaborate lighting setups, meticulous posing, and careful styling of your outfits. It’s time-consuming and will take you away from the main action for a significant period, so you’ll need to balance your schedule to allow for these stylistic portraits.

Best for: Couples who love fashion, want to look like they stepped out of a magazine, and are happy to dedicate a good portion of their day to creating perfect portraits.

My Signature Style: Timeless Storytelling

The style you choose will ultimately shape the look and feel of your wedding story. Over years of working for fashion magazines, newspapers, and commercial clients, I’ve developed my own signature approach. My style is a blend of disciplines—a little bit of cinematic drama for your portraits, a lot of photojournalistic storytelling for the candid moments, and a timeless quality that ensures your photos will be cherished forever.

I combine these techniques to create a story that is classic, beautiful, and uniquely yours.

To find out more about the wedding photography experience and to check my availability, let’s arrange a consultation.

Call me on 07949 250 660 or use the contact form here to start planning your unique story.

A Photographer’s Guide to Asian Wedding Photography Styles

A Photographer’s Guide to Asian Wedding Photography Styles. Your wedding photos are so much more than just pictures; they are the one tangible keepsake that will tell your story for generations. When you open your wedding album years from now, it will become an ultimate family heirloom. That’s why getting the right photographer for your wedding is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

A key part of that decision is finding wedding photography styles that truly resonates with you. But when you start your research, you’ll find us photographers often use a lot of jargon that can be confusing. My job is to make your wedding planning journey as easy as possible, so I’ve put together this simple guide to help you navigate the different styles and find the perfect fit for your story.

Traditional (or Posed) Wedding Photography

A Photographer's Guide to Asian Wedding Photography Styles

When you flick through your parents’ wedding album, you’re likely looking at traditional wedding photography. This style is defined by classic, beautifully posed shots of the day’s key moments.